26 Oct 2020 12:13:44
I think opinion is very divided on here regarding Neil Lennon, let's be as fair as possible and list some of the pros in his favour and the cons against.

Lennon CANNOT be blamed for our long injury list or our international players catching CV, he also cannot be blamed for players recent poor form including some of our recent signings. He will be hurting as much as us fans as he is Celtic through and through, he stepped in last season when we needed him and steadied the ship.

What we CAN blame the manager for is poor team set up, making same mistakes over and over again, playing players out of position and being poor/ naive tactically. Lennon also can be blamed for team's apparent lack of fitness, it is obvious to most fans that the players fitness levels have dropped since Rodgers left.

Everyone here could add more on both sides of this argument, but the main thing is, do Celtic and us the fans, stick with Lennon in the hope he comes good, or do we simply say Lennon's time is over and get a better tactically aware modern european coach.

In lookng at everything we must also aportion blame at the feet of Lawwell whose penny penching attitude has cost us Champions League qualification in 2 or more seasons ie McGinn and Toney and I am certain he could have done more to resign big Fraser also.
Also our absentee landlord over in Ireland who should be more pro active or sell his shares to a more interested party.

Let's hear everyone else's views.

1.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 12:20:49
He's made mistakes with chopping and changing teams and there's no flow to our play plus every set piece is pumped into Duffy so the opposition are onto that. but he can't be blamed for moi missing a sitter against sevco or Duffy making a howler yesterday yes he picks them but they are all international players who are going through a rough patch.

2.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 12:22:15
Get behind the team, a lot of misinformation, faux journalism. Never been his biggest fan for purely personal reasons. However, it's a big pressure season for us. If we don't win the mythical 10 in a row I won't be jumping off a bridge. But he has been a great player in our time. Like every company in the world the board makes the decisions. Some bad decisions made there. But with faith, anything is possible.

3.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 12:25:32
All the cons you listed are the reason for the players poor form👍.

4.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 12:40:12
You can expect and even excuse form lapses or even mistakes (not as repetitive as we are unfortunately seeing) ; but there's no room for unfit, unprepared or disruptive players at Celtic.
The standards set at the club are legendary - Attacking, slick, entertaining football, flair players, team spirit and will to win, fighting qualities and even late goals.
The recruitment has been well below-par for a team supposedly going for a tenth consecutive title, a quadruple treble and building on a good EL campaign where we topped a very difficult (CL quality) group. Especially when your rivals are improving.
However, we have to use the players available and man-for-man we should be a lot better than we are at the minute.
Injuries and absences will subside, but the lacklustre body language and lack of direction and motivation from the management team was there before this difficult week and personally, I feel this pressure is doing NL potential harm and maybe all concerned would benefit from a change?

5.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 12:46:13
I feared the worse when Lenny had his meltdown after our CL defeat.
That was unexceptionable behaviour because there is the danger the players will stop giving 100%. If that’s the case then he has to go.
Despite conceding a late equaliser yesterday, I actually felt worse at half time.
I was disappointed with the first half performance and felt the players weren’t playing for the manager.
I was gutted at half time because I thought his time was up.
But then the players gave everything in the second half and that will give Lenny more time to turn things around.

6.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:07:59
You can expect or even excuse lapses in form, mistakes (as long as they're not serial repeats) and allow for injuries.
However, there's no room for unfit, disruptive, unprepared and half-hearted players in any Celtic team.
The standards set at the club are legendary:- Attacking, slick football, flair players, good team spirit, a winning mentality and a fighting attitude with even a reputation for late winners.
The recruitment - in my opinion - hasn't reflected the ambition of a club going for ten-in-a-row, a quadruple treble and building on an impressive EL, topping a very difficult group last term.
Unfortunately, I can see things taking their toll on NL already with lacklustre body language, no motivation or reaction and some of his decisions on selection and subs has caused great debate.
If I'm honest - and I know about these things - NL needs to look after his health first and foremost as the stress is constant in his job normally, without all the additional pressure building that has built-up since the CL exit - right to the Sevco defeat. Maybe a change would be the best thing for all concerned?

7.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:11:06
Its true Lenny is as much a Celtic fan than the rest of us Its true he can't be blamed for individual mistakes and true he can't be blamed for C.V. issues. But what I think he can be blamed for is team selection team fitness playing players out of position the Cluj game the one off game for qualifying for the CL ( one off game without a striker) against not a Barcelona or AC Milan the really bad performances against Sevco recently the bad formation choices against other teams and if this question was asked 3 months from now I would add losing 10iar IMO we have far better players than any other team in the league we should be at least 5 points clear with a game in hand but we are not.

8.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:16:30
There is more to this

This is not a happy camp and it is not all of NLs making.

9.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:19:36
Also

Duffy wants to be here
He may be error prone, and he may deserve to be dropped for errors, but he WANTS to be here

Others meanwhile. do not and when deep seated resentment builds ( ie I don't want to be here ( dummies out) and so why am I still here ) , the fitness and standards drop

Check out Bayern Munich youtube . Fitness videos and what they did to countenance the effects of lock down . different world. world class. makes us look like an under 12s team . pampered spoiled brats that wouldn't know how to spell the word " professional "

10.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:30:15
Buzz bomb, you say the players gave everything 2nd half . really? . watch players when we don't have the ball. watch players and the efforts they make to make it easier on the colleague

You talk a lot of sense . but players giving everything? .

I'm. sorry but I can't agree.

11.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:42:27
I get players might not get along with lenny or have had a falling out, but to not give effort because of this is letting the fans down more than lenny, he will go and get a job somewhere else but its us who will be let down by the players. Regardless of what they think about a manager they should want to win games at all costs especially more so of they don't want to be here perform great get yourself in the shop window and go. As for fitness there can be no excuse why our players should be lacking anything like that, as professionals surely they want to be the best and they should be taking care of themselves regarding fitness. Abit of self pride, why be a great player but not as fit as someone inferior player wise. I don't get why a player thinks if they don't play well and don't keep in top shape that they will get the move they want, I think mistakes have been made by all, im positive it will all come good and we will go on a run soon.

12.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:44:07
Lubo
I just thought there was a massive improvement in effort from the first half.
If the players aren’t giving 100% for Lenny then he has to go.
I’m not convinced the players have downed tools.
I think it’s a combination of cons that Tim mentioned.

13.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 13:53:03
At the end of the day lads Lennon might want the best for Celtic we all know that. But clearly there are players who don't care. If a professional player can't keep themselves fit during these times with the wages they get paid then something is wrong. There are unfortunately more issue then guys not bring fit.

14.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 15:13:57
Buzz and ter

I agree that when things are not right in a KEY season with transfer window closed, the only permissible change is the manager

HOWEVER

Player power is a fact
Not all players have downed tools

Many have

Many want to go and money won't solve it

Many want to go because they are either bored or think they can and should be playing at a higher level

Make no mistake, when players aren't " at it " it can be catastrophic

Yes players can and will still score and execute assists BUT a player " not at it" ( in our case its plural) this can be CATASTROPHIC in terms of a league challenge

These players know who they are

These things can happen, and a good analogy would be a Bush fire . a wee flame can suddenly engulf

We are engulfed by discontent. there are reliable sources having conversations who are saying this out loud

Dont be fooled by players having their hands on their heads or " yaaaaaaassssss (ing) " when a goal is scored. that's a bluff

Look for the level of commitment when the ball needs won back, or that selfless run that opens it up for someone else . or the chase back to stop the opponent picking an easy pass

We are not at it

Players are treating our manager and the fans with utter contempt

This is all but impossible to turn around

I will be siging off in terms of this narrative as my head is now turned based on others assertions .

We are in the mire and NL being chopped, whilst understandable, may not solve our short term malaise

We need a new identify
We need a new philosophy
We need a new personality

And for me none of it is possible until we move on

Eddy
Ntcham
Ajer
Christie
Jullien

Our highest value assets want out when we needed their respect and commitment and desire

Beyond that we need players that want to be here and who want to give us 3 good years at least. this 6 good games and I'm outta here needs to stop

I'm devastated to be writing this to be quite honest.

15.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 16:03:02
Lubo
I was thinking maybe those 5 players who have between 7 and 12 years still to play as a professional footballer feel they aren’t being developed properly under the current regime and that’s the reason they’re wanting out.
I could forgive them for that any other season.
But they know how much this season means to everyone connected to the club,
Why wouldn’t they want to stay and be part of Celtic history.
Is it so bad to work there that they didn’t want to stay for another 9 months.

16.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 16:15:37
I agree 100%
Anyone not playing for the Jersey should be removed from the squad instantly, I said the same after the Rangers game.
By playing players that want to play for the Jersey only then can we move on from this, NL has to have the balls to do this or move aside.
For me these are our only options to have any chance of getting the 10.

17.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 16:20:15
You think eddy cares about 10? Come on buzz.

Christie and Ajer think they're better than tierney .

Ntcham would sign for a French rugby team if it meant Back to france, plus Jullien

The perfect storm. when we needed so much more.

How do we fix it?

18.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 16:22:44
Royjac

Spot on.

19.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 17:38:15
Lubomir we all know the definition of insanity.

20.) 26 Oct 2020
26 Oct 2020 19:41:57
There us no chance he will be sacked. Yes his choice of players and tactics can leave you scratching your head at times. Having a calm demeanor doesn't mean he doesn't care. Forster made it perfectly clear he didn't want to stay. Who would you want as a manager? If a player isn't fit that's down to each individual. The bottom line is we are all hurting but keep the Faith as we will come good.